A great place to start Disorder information source Rated and Reviewed Sleep Links Entrance to all monitored Sleep Forums Search all of Sleepnet.com


Sleep Apnea
Forum Posting


Archived Apnea Forum122 viewing only. To post a new topic go to the Apnea Forum Homepage.

Re: Anyone Wanna Talk Me Out of It?

Posted by Sheepcounter on September 10, 2004 at 08:55:07:

In Reply to: Re: Anyone Wanna Talk Me Out of It? posted by Zombie on September 10, 2004 at 06:15:28:

I agree with what Zombie has posted....if CPAP was going to make you feel better I would have expected it within the 2 years you have been on it. I know just in the few weeks I have been on it I am sleeping better with no interuptions due to waking up with my airway closed up gasping. My wife is also happy to report no more snoring...just very peacful sleep when she has been awake for other reasons and checked on me.

I will tell you that medications perscribed for you probably have as much if not more impact on your mental clarity after a nights rest than CPAP usage. I was on Klonopin for some tongue biting problems I was having when falling to sleep. It worked pretty well and also helped me sleep better..before CPAP. When I woke up in the morning I felt like I had been on an all night drunk....and it stayed that way through about lunch. I reduced the dose to half and felt better in the morning. I later found the tongue biting was a side effect of an Anti-Depressant another doctor had me on for GI problems....I discontinued it's use over several weeks and have now discontiuned the Klonopin. I wake up feeling pretty good...and since starting CPAP, no more occasional nasty headaches from the all night fights with sleep apnea.

I don't know what you are on...and don't suggest you discontinue anything until you have talked with your doctor but just be aware it could be more the meds than the CPAP not doing what it is suppose to do.

I am gathering from reading the archives and the current posts that everyone has different expectations (or hopes) for what CPAP will do for them. Some expectations may be unrealistic and need to be adjusted. I think expecting it to be akin to the fountain of youth as a cure all for what we experience as we age is probably on the unrealistic side...even though for some with severe apneic problems it may have turned out to be just that.

I think it's important to have realistic expectations....for me it was to stop the constant cycle of dozing off to sleep only to be awakend either by my gasping to open my relaxed airway to get a breath or my patient wife waking me because I am having much dificulty breathing and have disturbed her sleep. To reduce or eliminate the morning hangeover headaches I am convinced were due to reduced O2 levels in my blood. My sleep study indicated a drop to as low as 55%. (I hope that was an error)

I have in a few short weeks acheived both of those goals. I still don't sleep completely through the night mostly because of some nightly fighting with the mask to stop leaks....but hope to solve that at some point soon as well.

Am I feeling any more rested? Yes and No. I don't seem to get as sleepy during the day but don't seem to have any new energy to speak of. I understand that may take some time. I hope to add some excercise to my routine to help that along. I am also a little worried that I am not dreaming as some has reported...indicating maybe not enough REM sleep time still. I wish there were some inexpensive device we could use to accurately measure our levels of sleep during the night at home. It would be handy to know more about our electrical sleep patterns and the effectiveness of our CPAP use from that perspective.

Anyway all this said I would recommend reviewing your prescription meds with your doctor...read about the meds on the internet and find out for yourself what the side effects are...don't depend on the doctor to know...I have found they don't...they seem to know pretty much what the drug reps. tell them when they are dropping off the samples of their latest greatests cures.

Self evaluate where you were prior to CPAP and where you are today as it relates to your sleep quality and see if you have met any of your personal expectations over the last two years. Maybe consider having another sleep study done to see if your titration is still working for your apnea.

The positive side effects of correcting your sleep apnea problems are going to be unique to you...and may not be what others are experiecing...but a better quality of sleep should be expected by all who are able to be compliant to the treatment as perscribed.

Good luck!

Follow Ups:


Archived Apnea Forum122 viewing only. To post a new topic go to the Apnea Forum Homepage

  • IMPORTANT : Information not intended as medical advice. If you suspect that you have a sleep disorder you should seek care from a qualified professional. Read Terms of Use.
  • The Sleep Forums are not to be used for commercial purposes.
  • Commercial products and services are not endorsed by Sleepnet.com.
  • Sleep Deprivation due to Sleep Apnea and insufficient sleep are common and can present as insomnia, narcolepsy, or idiopathic hypersomnia. In infants and children sleep problems commonly present themselves as ADD or ADHD.


Copyright ©1995-2005 Sleepnet.com., All rights reserved